Stake or post driver



April 15, 1952 c. RICHARDSON 2,593,186

STAKE 0R POST DRIVER Filed Dec. 51, 1949 2 sHETs-SHEET 1 April 1'5, 1952c. RICHARDSON 2,593,186

STAKE A0R PosTv DRIVER v Filed Dec. 31. 1949 `2 SHEETS-SHEET 2`lnmllulnrllll- Patented Apr. 1.5, 1952 `UNITE-l3- STATES .PATENT "OFFICESTARE DRIVER- Clarence Richardson; Lake` City, Iowa, assigner ofone-half to Richard F..B1ancheld; Lake.-

City, Iowa Application December 31, 1949, SeriallN'o'. 12362307 (CL(i1-*74) to provide a mechanicalstake Vand post driver and drive meanstherefor which can be easily mounted on the endof a truck,. andwhich maybe easily swungf'out'of position; When-not in use.

Another object of this invention ist'o provide a. 'mechanical stake andpost driver having a simple. grasping device, and control meanstherefor, to grasp and raise the driving hammer of y the mechanicalstake and post driver.

l .A further object. of` .this invention is to provide. a mechanicalstake.V and postv driver having in combination a brakev` arrangementadapted to hold the driving hammer in a..suspended position' after: thelgrasping and. raising :meansr'elease the driving hammer. i

A further. object ofr thisinvention. is. to provide a' mechanical stakeand post .driver having a combination. endv stop and shock r absorberfor the driving hammer of saidzstake driver.

A still further objectof this invention` isv to provide a mechanicalstake and post driver which may be easily and inexpensively produced`and which. isl characterized by its simplicity of:v operation.

With these and' other objects in view,.my' invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of thel variousV` parts of mydevice whereby the objectsi. contemplated areA attained, as hereinaftermore fully set` forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated intheaccompanying drawings, wherein :l

.2 l line 5--5 of Figure V3, particularly showing the brakepedal and theshock absorbing device.-

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan View of the grasp'- ingrollers taken on theline 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of. theshock-absorbing mechanism taken Figure 1 is aside view-of thestakedriving ma- -the upper portion of the stake driving machine showingthe operating handle androllers in-4 operating position. Figure 5 isafront` elevationof the lower por-l 9101.1 ofthe `stakedrivngrmachine;takenzondthe on the'line 'I-1 of Figure 2.

Figure Sis an enlarged plan View taken oni line -8--8 f of Figure 2which clearly. shows the brake .shoe and parts of the-brake shoeactuating link.-

Referring to Figure 1,.I.have shown astake driving machine indicatedgenerally by-numeral I,0,. mountedon; thev'rear end of a truckz'll.. .Apair of guide channels II, which may be ordi.- naryrstruc'tural channelsections. are positioned so that. their'ii'angesproject toward eachother. Crosspieces IIa' at the top and'iattheibot.- tomuconnect thechannels II together.V Welded to the front flangesv ofthe channels: areearsf I3 having bores Hi therethrough. A pivotpin I5, passing.throughrthe: bores I4v and'suppotedk by anges I6, pivotally supports`the stake driving machinefl.

Ther flanges I 6 are-partei asupportin'gbracket 'structuren which isbolted or otherwise' fastened tothezfloor ofthe rear .end of theV truck.T 'or othertransportingmeans. li/Iount'e'dr on eachV side `ofthezbracket I1 are: a pair of perforated ears `[18.toawhich:are pivotedthe eyes I-91 of eyefbolts 210. The threaded portions ofthe eyebolts-.Mare positionedto-be swung: into slots Z-I of `bifurcatedearsaZZfwelded tothe' web I2 of each4 channel :I:.I\.- Anut 231011 eacheye bolt 20 cooperateswith the threaded portion of the bolt to clamp theears 22 .against the-rear edges of the flanges I6 soas tog-fix` thechannels II in an upright position when' itis desired'to use thestakedriver.

Mounted'adjacentthe upperl ends of the guide channels I I is a' device,generally indicated by numeral24', for raisingthe hammer. Aiflxedtothe-Webs I`2.- of theguide channelsV IIv are apalr of. plates *25;through which is journalled in.` suitablebearings 25a*J a shaft 26;Pivotally mounted bym-cans offbearing. 26a, on shaft 26' are two `plates21'IfandV 21a; i which remain stationary 'as .shaft 26wrotates. A.second` shaft` 28 is rotatably supportedby bearings 28a' on the platesV21' and 21a; pair of; meshing gears29 and'. 30 'are -mountedIons shafts;26 and 28 adjacent plate: 2111;.V

A paircf grasping. `rollers ."sl'and4 32 .arer mounted onw shafts-12Bandi 28: between'the guide channels IfI. Shaft 26` is driven` by asprocket -wheel 33 mountedor1zthat shaft and adjacent plate-21. The:`sprocketv Wheel 133 is driven by a'fchainzfu vwhich serve as springseats.

,hammer 44. .vided between springs 55 and shoulders 49.

aseaise which in turn is actuated by a second sprocket wheel 35 mountedon a shaft 36 which is journalled in flanges I6 mounted on the truck.The means for driving sprocket wheel 35 is not shown, but it could beeither the truck motor or some other auxiliary drive. An idling sprocket31 is provided for taking up the slack in chain 34. This idling sprocket31 is mounted on a shaft 38 journalled in a block 39, which block issupported by the horizontal leg 40 of an angle bracket 4|. Angle bracket4| is welded to web |2 of one of the guide channels Il. The vertical leg42 of angle bracket 4| is threaded to cooperate with a threaded bolt 43which is rotatably fixed to block 39. The slack in chain 34 isrtaken upby varying the position of idling sprocket 31 and block 39 through thecooperation of bolt 43 and angle bracket leg 42.

Referring to Figure 3, the driving' hammer, indicated generally bynumeral 44, is shown as comprising a driving weight 45 having extendingvertically upwards therefrom a strip-like arm 46. The weight 45 isdimensioned to fit within the channel guides li and the strip-like arm46 is long enough to extend above the guide channels and a guide meanspositioned thereon, when the driving weight 45 is resting at a stopprovided at the bottom end of guide channels Il. The guide means justmentioned comprises a pair of brackets 41 mounted on the upper ends ofthe guide channels which have mounted thereon a pair of flanged guidewheels 48 arranged to engage and position the strip-like arm 46 toprevent any sidewise and fore-and-aft motion of arm 46.

'52 therein which is smaller than the cross-sec- 'tional size of thehammer weight 4'5. The cutout 52 is large enough to receive the post tobe `driven and the portions of stop plate extending across the guidesection act as a stop for driving weight 45. Since the driving weight 45is nearly the same size as the guide section, it will be stopped by stopplate 5| when in its lowest position.

As shown in Figure 5, a pair of bolts 53 pass vertically through holesin stop plate 5| and engage said stop plate 5| with their heads. TheseVbolts pass through holes provided in the shoulders 49 for that purpose.These bolts 53 further have threaded onto their upper ends enlarged nuts54 The seats are locked on the bolts by lock nuts 54a. A pair ofcompression springs 55 surrounding the bolts 53 are seated'at theirupper ends against the nuts 54 and at their lower ends against theshoulders 49 'to bias the stop plate 5| against the shoulders 49.

Figure 5 also shows in a broken-line view how stop plate 5| is depressedby the impact of driving A pair of rubber mats 56 are pro- .betweenrollers 3| and 32, there is provided a control handle 51 xed to a shaft58. Shaft 58 4 is journalled in a pair of brackets 59 welded to the websl2 of guide channels Also flxed to shaft 58 are a pair of arms 80. Thesearms 86 each have pivoted at the free end thereof an actuating rod 66.The rods 66 pass through the upper flange 6|a of an angle shaped crosspiece 6| welded to .plates 21 and 21a. A nut 62 is threaded onto theextended end of each rod 66 to cooperate with flange 6|a to move plates21 and 21a downwards when the rods 66 are actuated in that direction. Asecond nut 63 is threaded on each rod 60 and a compression spring Y 64is concentrically mounted on each rod seated between nut 63 and flange6Ia. These springs 64 bias plates 21 and 21a back to raised positionwhen rods 66 are moved upwardly.

A tension spring 13 afiixed at one end to one of the guide channels Iland at the other end to control handle 51 biases the control handle andthe plates 21 and 21a to a position where rollers 3| and 32 do not grasparm 46. A limit stop 14 is provided mounted on control arm 51 andcooperating with a pin 15 mounted on one of the guide channels to limitthe motion of the control. arm in the direction that it is moved to tiltthe plates 21 so that rollers 3| and 32 grasp hammer arm 46. As rollers3| and 32 wear down, the plates 21 land 21a may be pre-tilted so as tobring rollers 3| and 32 closer to each other. This provides that theamount of motion of control arm 51 necessary to operate the graspingmeans is kept substantially constant. This pre-tilting is accomplishedby adjusting nut 62 on threaded rod 60. Nut 62, butting against fiange6|a biases plates 21 and 21a to the pre-tilted position.

A brake device to keep the hammer uplifted after the grasping rollers 3|and 32 have released the arm 46 is provided as shown in Figures 2, 3 and5. There is provided a foot pedal 65 secured to a rock shaft 68 which isjournalled in supports 66 and 66a mounted on one of the guide channelsFoot pedal 65 actuates a rod 61 through the rock shaft 68 and an arm 68athereon and rod 61 further actuates' a bell crank 69 (see Fig. 2). Bellcrank 69 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 10 attached to the top of oneof the guide channels Bell crank 69 forces a brake shoe 1| against oneedge of arm 46 to restrain the hammer 44 in an elevated position. Aspring 12 is provided for biasing the brake shoe 1| to a normallyoff-position when the brake is not being used.

In operation, the drive chain 34 continuously rotates sprocket wheel 33which in turn rotates shaft 26. Gear 29 on shaft 26 rotates continuouslyand drives gear 30 which rotates shaft 28. In the normal position ofFig. 3 the distance between the rollers 3| and 32 on shafts 26 and 28 isgreater than the thickness of the arm 46. When the control arm 51 ispulled outward, plates 21 and 21a aredepressed as shown in l-'igure 4and the rollers 3| and 32 are forced against the two broad sides of arm46. These rollers 3| and 32 are made of wood, fibre or other materialhaving a large coefficient of friction and they seize the hammer arm 46and lift the hammer 44. The arm 46 is further kept in alignment bywheels 48.

After the hammer is raised a desired distance, the brake is applied andthe control arm is released. As the hammer 44 is kept in an upraisedposition, the operator puts a stake between the channels and guided bycutout 52 in plate 5|. Then the foot brake is released and the hammerdrops against the head of the stake. The hamassenso meriis then;repeatedly raisedand` permitted to drop by"'actl1ating` the control arm5T so that the rollers seize the hammer' arm 46 Ato raise the *hammerandv then releasing the control arm so that they hammer falls against'the stake.

particular embodiment', of" this invention, it will be obvious 'to thoseskilled in the art that various Achanges and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention and, therefore, itv isintended in the appended 'claims to cover allsuch changes andmodificaextending vertically upwards, gripping means for A engaging theelongated arm of said driving hammer to elevate said driving hammer,said gripping means comprising a pair of rollers spaced apartandpositioned to receive therebetween the elongated arm, a pair ofshafts upon which said rollers are mounted, the distance between thecenters of said shafts being fixed, a pair of plates adjacent saidupright guide means and journalling therein said pair of shafts, a pairof gears fixedly mounted on said pair of shafts and meshing with eachother, means for driving said rollers, and means for pivoting saidplates around the axis ofone of said shafts so that the rollers grip theelongated arm extending therebetween so as to elevate the driving hammerwhen the plates are Vpivoted in one direction, said rollers releasingsaid elongated arm when said plates are pivoted in the oppositedirection.

2. A stake or post comprising an upright guide means, a driving hammerpositioned in said guide means and comprisinga driving weight with anelongated arm attached thereto extending vertifor driving said rollers,means for pivoting said plates around the axis of one of said shafts sothat the rollers grip said elongated varm extending therebetween so asto. elevate the driving hammer when the plates are Ipivoted in onedirection, said rollers releasing said arm when said plates are pivotedin the opposite direction, and shook absorbing means for said hammermounted on the lower end of said upright guide and engaged by the hammeradjacent its lower limit of mov-ement.

3. A stake or post driver comprising an upright guide means, adriving'hammer positioned in said guide means and comprising a drivingweight with an elongated arm attached thereto extending verticallyupwards, gripping means for engaging said arm` of said driving hammer tosaid elongated'arm.

elevate said ldriving hammer-,'saidf gripping-mans lcomprising'a pair ofVrollers spaced apart and positioned to receive therebetweenvsaidelongated arm, a pairof shaftsupon which saidrollers are mounted, thedistance between the centers of saidshafts-being xed, a pair of platesadjacent 'said' uprightl guide-means and journalling therein said pairof shafts,- a pair of` gears mounted on saidfpair of shafts and meshingwith each other, means for driving-saidrollers, means for pivoting saidplates aroundlthe axis of one of said shafts so thatv the rollers gripsaid-elongated arm ex- `tendingtherebetween so as to elevatethedrivinghammer when the plates arepivoted in one direction, saidrollers releasing said arm when rsaidplates are pivoted in the oppositedirection,

and brake means for keeping the driving hammer elevated` after thegripping rollers release '4. Shock absorbingmeans for use withV a stakedriver having an upright guide means and a driving weight positioned insaid guide means; said shock absorbing means comprising a horizontal endplate adjacent the lower end of said upright guide means, saidhorizontal plate having a cutout therein forming a guide for the stakeor post, said cut-out being smaller than the driving weight, apair ofshoulders affixed to said upright guide means abovel the horizontal endplate, spring means mounted on said shoulders, and means for suspendingsaid horizontal end plate from the spring means so that any shockresulting from contact between said driving weight and the end plate isabsorbed.

5. A stake or post driver comprising an upright guide means, a drivinghammer positioned in said guide means and comprising a driving weightwith an elongated arm attached thereto extending vertically upwards,gripping means for engaging said arm of .said driving hammer to elevatesaid driving hammer, said gripping means comprising a pair of rollersspaced apart and f positioned to receive therebetween said arm, and

means for mounting said rollers so that the vertical planes throughtheir centers may be moved toward each other so that the rollers gripsaid Y arm and away from each other so that the rollers release saidarm, the distance between the cen-` ters of the rollers remainingconstant.

6. A stake or post driver comprising an upright guide means, a drivinghammer positioned in said guide means and comprising a driving Weightwith an elongated arm attached thereto extending vertically upwards,gripping means for engaging said arm of said driving hammer to elevatesaid driving hammer, said gripping means comprising a pair of rollersspaced apart and positioned to receive therebetween said arm. means formounting said rollers so that vertical planes through their centers maybe moved toward each other so that the rollers grip the said arm andaway from each other so that the rollers are displaced to a non-grippingposition, the distance between the centers of therollers remaining fixedas the rollers are moved to gripping and non-gripping positions, andmeans for varying the initial distance between the vertical planes whichpass through the centers of said rollers when the rollers are in thenon-gripping position, said last means providing an adjustment for closeclearance between the rollers and said arm as the rollers wear down.

7. A stake or post driver comprising an upright guide means, a drivinghammer positioned in said guide means and including a driving weightwith an elongated arm attached thereto extending vertically upward,gripping means for engaging the elongated arm of said driving hammer toelevate said driving hammer, said gripping means comprising a pair ofrollers spaced apart and positioned to receive therebetween saidelongated arm, a pair of shafts upon Vwhich said rollers are mounted,the distance between the centers of said shafts being fixed, a pair ofgears mounted on said pair of shafts and meshing with each other, meansfor swinging one of said shafts arcuately around the center of the othershaft, whereby vertical planes through the centers of said shafts aremoved f closer together so that the horizontal spacing between rollersis reduced, said rollers gripping the elongated arm extendingtherebetween so as to elevate the driving hammer when said shaft is soswung, and said rollers releasing said elongated arm when said shaft isswung toward the original position.

8. A stake or post driver comprising an up` mer, said gripping meanscomprising a pair of rollers spaced apart and positioned to receivetherebetween said elongated arm, a pair of shafts upon which saidrollers are mounted, the distance between the centers of said shaftsbeing xed, a pair of gears xedly mounted on said pair of shafts andmeshing with each other, means for swinging one of said shafts arcuatelyaround the center of the other shaft, whereby the horizontal spacingbetween the rollers is varied, said rollers being adapted to engage saidelongated arm when the horizontal spacing is reduced and for releasingthe` elongated arm when the horizontal spacing therebetween isincreased, and brake means for engaging one edge of said arm to clampthe other edge of said arm against said guide means for keeping thedriving hammer elevated after the gripping rollers release said arm.

CLARENCE RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,037,875 Craig Sept. 10, 19122,125,861 Deckard Aug. 2, 1938 2,487,530 Dirksen Nov. 8, 1949

